Dan Detlefsen, our beloved brother, brother-in-law, uncle, and friend passed away unexpectedly on August 2, 2016. Dan was just a great person who lived his life the right way. He loved, he helped, he cared, and he always went the extra mile for anyone who needed it. He was faithful to his maker and was deeply involved in church work.

Dan was born in North Bend, Oregon on March 29, 1950 and as a child grew up in Portland. He graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Math and went on to receive a master’s degree. Dan worked for the City of Portland as an IT Specialist for most of his career. He was well respected by his peers there and retired in 2013.

For most of his life Dan attended Multnomah Presbyterian Church where he was ordained as a Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church USA. There he also served on governing committees and sang in the choir. It is where he met and married the love of his life, Susan Filley. She too died unexpectedly on May 5, 2014.

At the time of his death he was a member of Aurora Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Oregon where he was currently serving as Church Financial Secretary. He was a member of the Church Nominating Committee and Mission Study Committee and had just been nominated for the Designated Pastor Search Committee

Dan was also preceded in death by his parents, Ernie and Maxine Detlefsen.

Left to cherish his memory are his brothers, Mike Detlefsen and his wife Barbara, Jeff Detlefsen and his wife Jan, a nephew Brad Detlefsen and his wife Roseann, and his great nephew Julian Detlefsen, Susan’s two nieces Rene Filley and Kristy Slaughter; three nephews Lucas Filley, Travis Lambert and Eric Filley; and Dan’s adapted godson Nick Doyle.

We will miss him every day. We no longer have the comfort of his presence. We are thankful for this gentle, genuine giant of a man. It is with great love, we will always remember Dan’l.